Rahi Sarnobat, the first ever Indian woman to win a gold medal in the Asian Games, proved her class as she collared the 25m sports pistol title in the 62nd National shooting championships .
The Pune-based 28-year-old struggled through the qualifiers to finish only fifth. With the final field included the likes of the experienced Heena Sidhu (ONGC) and the new pin-up girl of India shooting Manu Bhaker (Haryana), it was expected to be anybody’s game.
However, Rahi’s showing in the 10-round final of 50 shots was a class act marked with poise and consistency. Having started with an identical three each in the first two rounds, the Maharashtra shooter raced ahead of the field with four hits out of five through the next six rounds and proved that she was the one to beat.
Heena and Manu wilted under pressure to finish seventh and fifth even as Rahi notched a score of 36, six points clear of Pushpanjali Rana (CRPF) who was second. Chinki Yadav (MP) was third with 20 points.
Delighted
An elated Rahi shared her happiness of winning. “The qualification had been tough for me, but this was one I was never going to give up that easily. Everything went well for me in the final and I am happy that I lived up to the expectations and saved my reputation.”
Manu overcame her miserable showing in the senior event with a top-podium finish in the juniors’ section. The Haryana girl, with a card of 24 points, finished ahead of Devashi Rana (ONGC) and Neha (Uttarkhand).
In the men’s section , Ravi Kumar (Air Force), who had helped himself to a bronze in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, retained the men’s 10m air rifle title edging out Sandeep Singh (Army Marksman Unit) in a close finish.
Ravi Kumar totalled 250.2 points through the final series, while Sandeep came just 0.6 points behind. Keval Jashvantbhai Prajapati (Gujarat), who won the gold in the youth section, was third at 229.1.
The corresponding event in the juniors’ section was won by Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar (Rajasthan).
